Thespian Anthony "Tony" John (Ronald Colman) is an affable gentleman offstage — at least when he's acting in comedies. Trouble is, dramatic plays send him into a psychological tailspin. In "A Double Life" (1947) he opts to play Othello, and no one in his life is safe. #filmnoir

Leo Morse (Thomas Gomez), a small timer in the numbers racket, is like a pressurized canister of hydrogen about to explode, in "Force of Evil" (1948). His brother, crooked lawyer Leo (John Garfield), is the spark that sets him off. A two-fisted dramatic powerhouse. #filmnoir

"With its relentless pace, expressive cinematography by the great Russell Metty, and punchy, clever script by Ben Hecht and Charles Lederer, this is an overlooked treasure from the heyday of 1940s film noir." #filmnoir

The hootch business is unrecognizable to Frankie Madison (Burt Lancaster) after 14 years in the jug — it's gone corporate. In "I Walk Alone" (1947), Frankie wants his cut, but Noll "Dink" Turner (Kirk Douglas) ain't paying. B-list Burt and Kirk, but still hard-boiled. #filmnoir

New York Times reviewer Bosley Crowther said "Ace in the Hole" (1951) is "a distortion of journalistic practice" and "something of a dramatic grotesque." These days, Billy Wilder's meditation on the public's appetite for tragic spectacle seems prescient. #filmnoir

Steve Thompson (Burt Lancaster) blows into town and ex-wife Anna (Yvonne De Carlo) promptly plays him for a world-class chump, in "Criss Cross" (1949). She's two-timing mobster Slim Dundee (Dan Duryea) — as femmes fatale do — and Steve gets himself deeper into a pickle. #filmnoir

In "This Gun for Hire" (1942), the big war is under way, and hitman Philip Raven (Alan Ladd) is working for a treasonous slug who plans to sell chemical weapons to the enemy. Next to the traitor, Raven is a Boy Scout. With Veronica Lake and Robert Preston. #filmnoir

After a swift plunge from the ivory tower into the netherworld, mild mannered Prof. Richard Wanley (Edward G. Robinson) is snared in a shadowy world of murder and blackmail, in "The Woman in the Window" (1944). His family is out of town — and trouble seems to find him. #filmnoir

White linen suits, ceiling fans, smokie cantinas: "The Bribe" (1949) has it all. MGM's backlot stands in for a Central American fishing village, where histrionic villains Charles Laughton and Vincent Price add pizzazz to this agreeably woozy melodrama told in flashback. #filmnoir

Illustrated Press society editor Lorelei Kilbourne (Hillary Brooke) takes on a murder case. Her editor, Steve Wilson (Phillip Reed), thinks that the suspect has been framed. As they investigate, signs of a conspiracy begin to emerge. “I Cover Big Town” (1947) #crimedrama

One of the more creative uses of filmic montage must be the dramatic cut from the face of a woman about to shriek in terror, to a train whistle's piercing blast. In "The 39 Steps" (1935), Mr. Hitchcock upends our expectations and bracingly moves the story forward. #filmnoir

MGM's Louis B. Mayer hated "The Asphalt Jungle" (1950) with a purple passion. Fortunately, John Huston was allowed to direct it anyway — it became the heist movie blueprint for all time. Its procedural detail raised censors' eyebrows — an instruction manual for crooks? #filmnoir

John Payne, Lee Van Cleef, Neville Brand, Preston Foster, ‘Kansas City Confidential’ (1952). Four noirs that explore the teamwork and downfall of mugs looking to make a big heist.
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Con artists Louise Curtis (Dorothy Patrick) and Wade Antrim (John Eldredge) pose as brother and sister and kill rich widows for their money. Louise brings one victim on a train journey to Chicago - odds are the widow won't return. "Lonely Heart Bandits" (1950) #crimedrama

Gold digger Betty (Beverly Michaels) puts the moves on hard of hearing railroad employee Jan Horak (Hugo Haas). They tie the knot, but she and her boyfriend Steve (Allan Nixon) scheme to murder Jan and grab his money. But an accident stalls their plot. "Pickup" (1951) #filmnoir

Investigative reporter "Scoop" Conner (George Meeker) gets a note from death row inmate "Dapper Dan" Malloy (Michael Ames). Dan's going to sing about some corrupt officials responsible for the murder that he's about to fry for. "Murder in the Big House" (1942) #CrimeDrama #noir

Delivery man Eddie Miller (Arthur Franz) can't stand being turned down by women he's attracted to. The sight of happy couples also sends him into a rage. When a doctor fails to follow up on getting him psychological help he goes on a shooting spree. "The Sniper" (1952) #filmnoir

Dr. Frantisek Svoboda (Brian Donlevy) assassinates the notorious "Hangman of Europe" and hides from the Nazis in the home of a history professor and his daughter. But the enemy has a deadly plan aimed at flushing him out to face the consequences. "Hangmen Also Die!" (1943)

Norah Larkin (Anne Baxter) ends up on a blind date with womanizing calendar girl artist Harry Prebble (Raymond Burr). He plies her with booze and brings her upstairs to see his etchings. When the big lug turns up dead it looks bad for Norah. "The Blue Gardenia" (1953) #filmnoir

Eddie Quaid (Tony Curtis) goes from grocery clerk to professional prize fighter. He wins a championship bought, thanks in large part to trainer Bernie Browne (Ernest Borgnine). But Eddie gets a swelled head and overplays his hand. "The Square Jungle" (1955) #filmnoir

Folsom Prison escapee Red Kluger (Charles McGraw) kidnaps Det. Ray Williams (Michael O'Shea), D.A. Barker MacDonald (Frank Conroy) and a nightclub singer (Virginia Grey) to settle a few scores. And it's no secret he means to spill some blood. "The Threat" (1949) #filmnoir

Prisoners bust out of the big house and take another convict and Warden Carmichael (Tom Tully) as hostages. Everything goes awry, of course, but no one counted on the warden being more crooked than the cons. "Behind the High Wall" (1956) #filmnoir

Cheating husband Henry Maurier (Charles Boyer) finds himself in a pickle when his invalid wife dies and it's discovered that arsenic may have helped usher her out of this mortal coil. "A Woman's Vengeance" (1948) #filmnoir

Frank Thompson (Burgess Meredith) awakens to find that he's lost his memory. He slowly puts the pieces of his life together and discovers that he has a second identity, and that he's been accused of committing a murder that he can't remember. "Street of Chance" (1942) #filmnoir crimeonfilm.com

Actor Tony John (Ronald Colman) gets so involved in the roles he plays on stage that he seems to become the character. His inner circle is filled with dread when he accepts the role of Othello, the murderous Moor — a risky step for him. "A Double Life" (1947) #filmnoir

DeForest Kelley, Cameron Mitchell, Robert Ryan, Robert Stack, ‘House of Bamboo’ (1955). Part II of Yanks misbehaving overseas — fighting crime in foreign lands. (Click to read). #filmnoir
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Johnny McBride (Anthony Quinn) is hurt in a car crash. He loses his memory and his fingerprints are burned off. A clue leads him to his hometown where he finds he's a murder suspect. He tries to clear his name but a mob boss stands in the way. "The Long Wait" (1954) #filmnoir

Prison escapee and murderer Al Walker (William Holden) holds police psychiatrist Dr. Andrew Collins (Lee J. Cobb) and his family hostage. Walker and his gang wait for a boat pickup that will send them on their way. But can the family survive? "The Dark Past" (1948) #filmnoir

Roslyn Wright (Barbara Woodell), secretary to radio host Victor Grandison (Claude Rains), commits suicide in a most dramatic fashion after Grandison's wealthy young niece, Matilda Frazier (Joan Caulfield), vanishes — and the mystery deepens. "The Unsuspected" (1947) #filmnoir

A Yakuza boss secures Togawa's (Joe Shishido) early release from prison and Togawa is coerced into taking part in an armored car robbery. He plans to use his cut to pay for surgery that will allow his sister to walk again. "Cruel Gun Story"" (1964) #neonoir #NikkatsuNoir